44-40281 A Dog's Life

A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40281) nicknamed "A Dogs Life". Image via Lieutenant Vincent. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Crew 24, Sub co-pilot- Unk, Pilot Lt Vincent, Req Co-pilot- Lt Cronkite, Bombiagtor [sic] Lt Halvorsen, Genner- Sgt Johnson, RO- Valenzvela, Sgt, Eng- Sgt Lohr, GRR- Moss, Sgt, Sub Eng- Unk, Sub Gnr- Unk, Reg NT Gnr- wounded in hosp, Sgt Simpson. media-380714.jpg FRE 1908 A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40281) nicknamed "A Dogs Life". Image via Lieutenant Vincent. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Crew 24, Sub co-pilot- Unk, Pilot Lt Vincent, Req Co-pilot- Lt Cronkite, Bombiagtor [sic] Lt Halvorsen, Genner- Sgt Johnson, RO- Valenzvela, Sgt, Eng- Sgt Lohr, GRR- Moss, Sgt, Sub Eng- Unk, Sub Gnr- Unk, Reg NT Gnr- wounded in hosp, Sgt Simpson. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1908 - A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40281) nicknamed "A Dogs Life". Image via Lieutenant Vincent....

A Dog’s Life amassed 34 combat missions, including six AZON sorties in the nine months it was at Horsham St. Faith.   A close call collision over enemy territory in August 1944 almost spelled the end for this aircraft, but the skill of the pilot brought them back to base.  The aircraft finally met its end on a practice mission on February 13, 1945 with the loss of 2Lt Lawrence R. Shannon and eight of his crew. The crash is one of two recorded on the memorial plaque in Church Street, Old Catton, Norwich.

Connections

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Units served with

Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34674937
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-664988
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35655818
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-131834
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39136367
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Aerial Gunner

Places

Missions

  • Date: 2 June 1944
  • Official Description:

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

13 February 1945 Crashed in Old Catton, Norwich.

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
Contributoracbernstein1
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Date
Contributoracbernstein1
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Date
ContributorRob in Norwich
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Sources

Edits explicitly confirm the crash site and date using data existing entries and the aircraft record on the 8th Air Force Historical Society website.

Date
Contributorusxpat
Changes

44-40281: Gallery (9 items)